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Jolly Roger (flag)
's flag]] The Jolly Roger was the name of any of various flags that pirates ran to identify themselves. The most famous variation was a skull with two bones below it arranged in an "x" set on a black background. Black variations were flown to scare their opponents into surrendering. A red flag meant that the crew would fight to the death. Origin of the name The earliest known mention of the Jolly Roger is in Charles Johnson's A General History of the Pyrates, published in 1724. The book mentions that both Bartholomew Roberts and Francis Spriggs both called their flag the Jolly Roger, though the flags were different and neither were the popular skull and crossbones design. As early as 1704, pirates were referring to their flags as Rogers and in 1703, one captain referred to his flag as "Old Roger". The name Roger derives from the word rogue, meaning a wandering thief or vagabond. The name "Old Roger" was another name for the devil. A less popular theories include the name being derived from the French term "Jolli Rouge" (meaning "Pretty Red") or from the name Ali Raja, a famous Indian pirate. Origin of the design Bones and skulls have been a sign of death since early Rome. Skulls and long bones have been displayed in catacombs, crypts, and graveyards since the Middle Ages. Bones were used because they lasted long after the rest of the body was gone. Later, carvings of the skull and bones were used to remind people who entered that they would one day die also. The use of plain black flags was more common than flags with the skull and crossbones. When the skull and crossbones was used, they were often modified by the captain. The pirate captain Edward England was the first pirate who flew the typical skull and crossbones''The Captain Jack Sparrow Handbook, p54., a design which was later adopted by many other members of the Brethren of the Coast. The same flag, but with the reversed colours, was used among pirates to signal parlayPirates of the Caribbean: The Price of Freedom, Chapter 14: "Hard Bargains". Gallery of notable Jolly Rogers Image:Smith flag.PNG|Laura Smith's flag Image:Ammand flag.png|Ammand's flag Image:Calico Jack flag.png|Hector Barbossa's flag, previously used by "Calico Jack" Rackham and members of the Armada of the Damned. Image:Bonnet flag.png|Chevalle's flag, previously used by Stede Bonnet. Image:ChingsColors.jpg|Mistress Ching's flag. Image:Captainswann-turner.png|Elizabeth Turner's flag, previously used by Sao Feng, based on flag of Thomas Tew. Image:Bartholomew flag.png|Jocard's flag, previously used by Bartholomew Roberts. Image:Sparrow flag.png|Jack Sparrow's flag, based on flag of Henry Every. Image:Sumbhajee flag.png|Sri Sumbhajee's flag. Image:Villanuevaflag.gif|Eduardo Villanueva's flag, previously used by Edward Teach "Blackbeard" and Edward Low. Image:Blackbeard flag.jpg|Blackbeard's second flag Image:Teage_Jolly_Rodger.png|Edward Teague's flag. Image:ElizabethSwannflag.gif|Flag of an unknown pirate captain, previously used by Edward Low Image:Moodyflag.gif|Flag of an unknown pirate captain, previously used by Christopher Moody Image:BBfirst flag.PNG|Flag of an unknown pirate captain, previously used by Richard Worley and Edward Teach "Blackbeard" Image:Edward England flag.gif|Flag of an unknown pirate captain, previously used by Edward England, and Jack Sparrow. Image:EE reverted flag.PNG|The pirate flag of parlay. Image:Rogue Pirates' flag.PNG|Flag of Boris Palachnik, Christophe-Julien de Rapièr, and six other pirate captains. Image:James Sterling flag.PNG|James Sterling's flag Appearances *Pirates of the Caribbean: Jack Sparrow: Silver'' *''Pirates of the Caribbean: Jack Sparrow: Dance of the Hours'' *''Pirates of the Caribbean: The Price of Freedom'' *''Pirates of the Caribbean: Armada of the Damned'' *''Pirates of the Caribbean: Legends of the Brethren Court: Wild Waters'' *''Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl'' **''Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl'' (video game) *''The Accidental Pirate!'' *''Open Sesame!'' *''The Buccaneer's Heart!'' *''Going Overboard!'' *''Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End'' *''Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides'' Sources *''The Captain Jack Sparrow Handbook'' *''Pirates of the Caribbean: The Price of Freedom'' Notes and references Category:Flags Category:Piracy